European Commission continues support for the SHARE Network for 2014-15 

21 January 2014

The International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC-Europe) today announces the decision of the European Commission to co-finance the continued expansion of the SHARE Network< during 2014-15. 

Since 2007, ICMC Europe has promoted refugee resettlement as a key way in which European countries can provide durable solutions for the world's most vulnerable refugees. With our partners IOM and UNHCR, ICMC developed the European Resettlement Network< to advocate for more resettlement places in Europe and to build European resettlement capacity and expertise.In 2012 ICMC Europe launched the first SHARE project to fully recognize the central role of regional and local authorities and their civil society partners in aiding newly resettled refugees. 

The overall objective of SHARE is to build a European resettlement network of cities, regions, and their civil society partners and other local authors involved in and/or with a committment to refugee resettlement, protection and integration. Led by ICMC Europe in partnership with UNHCR, the EUROCITIES network<, the lead SHARE city of Sheffield and a network of European region, city, network and NGO partners, SHARE has facilitated a programme of events and activities< offering structured dialogue, exchange of practice and networking involving over 300 participants from over 15 European countries, including the SHARE City Exchange Visit Programme<,and published a number of resources and publications<to promote and support local and regional resettlement in Europe.

Recongnising the achievements of SHARE, the European Commission decided to continue supporting the network during 2014-2015. SHARE II will strengthen and expand the growing SHARE Network, engaging new regions, cities, and civil society partners in discussions and activities on refugee resettlement, and continuing the development of network resources and discussion space hosted at the SHARE Network's webspace. To encourage the participation of previously resettled refugees in advocacy and media work for resettlement at the local, national, and Europeans levels, SHARE II will facilitate a SHARE Resettlement Ambassador Programme for 10 previously resettled refugees from 5 different European regions and cities. The programme will provide training and local support for ambassadors, and produce audiovisual materials made available via www.resettlement.eu <for use as advocacy tools and in work with European media.

Building on the success of the SHARE City Exchange Visit Programme, SHARE II< will develop and pilot peer learning tools and resources, to strengthen capacity in new resettlement countries, enhance specific areas of integration practice and promote welcoming communities at the local level. This exchange will incorporate a pilot regional cross-border collaborative approach to cooperation on resettlement in Norway. A programme of live and recorded SHARE webinars and series of SHARE II tools and publications will ensure SHARE II continues to enhance local resettlement capacity and knowledge in a sustainable and cost-effective manner. 

With the present refugee crisis in Syria, more resettlement places are needed than ever before. By receiving resettled refugees, European cities have an opportuinity to demonstrate solidarity with their counterparts in countries of asylum, such as Arsal in Lebanon, a small town with a population of 20,000 which since the start of the crisis has received over 30,000 Syrian refugees. We hope that the continuation of SHARE for 2014-15 will engage more European cities in refugee resettlement and thus contribute to an increase in both resettlement numbers and good quality reception and integration programmes offered by European Countries.

As Johan Ketelers of ICMC outlined at a SHARE event in May 2013, 'SHARE is a verb not a noun. It is about our communities today and about our further community-building, locally, regionally and internationally. It is about social cohesion, essential for the future of our societies, and essential for every individual.'

You can read reports, download SHARE publications and resources and view event videos and photo galleries at the SHARE Network's Webspace<. For more information about SHARE, please contact Rachel Westerby, City Coordination at ICMC Europe (city.coordinator@icmc.net<)